Reinventing Charity at Home

Last Thursday middle school students gathered early to get a selfie with Scott Harrison to use for their Water Week fundraiser next month. College students and recent graduates arrived to hear ideas about philanthropy that resonate with their own experiences. Long-time Lake Lecture attenders glanced around noticing all the young faces in the audience. From 11 to 80 years old, they all came together – 550 in all – for one night to hear Scott Harrison, CEO and founder of charity: water, recount how he started a nonprofit and through the process came to play a role in reinventing the face of charity.

No matter what organization we represent, Scott Harrison made clear the key issues he believes are affecting charity and philanthropy in the 21st century. First of all, charity: water is very clear on its mission. As we teach in our Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising course, clarity about mission and vision are crucial for engaging others in your work. It is easy to say yes to everything that comes your way, but in so doing, it is also easy to lose focus. For example, both during the lecture and on a radio show earlier that day, Scott was asked about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. He agreed that more needs to be done to make major changes in that city; however, he was also clear that their mission is to bring clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. charity: water isn’t equipped to work politically or engage in infrastructure issues in American cities. By staying on mission, charity: water keeps focused on the work they are equipped to do best while inviting others to do their own unique work well.

Another aspect of this new vision of charity involves transparency. When Scott started building his company, he discovered that almost half of Americans distrust charities. They did not believe charities were spending the money the way they claim they do. They did not believe the money was going directly to the mission. So, Scott took this as a challenge for charity: water to promote radical transparency. 100% of donations go directly to the mission of providing clean water – even the credit card fees are covered. Donors can follow their money – funded projects are viewed through photos and GPS markers. All of their financials are on the website for anyone to view. All of the operational costs are covered by private donors and, just in case anyone doubts this, the audit is right there on charity: water's website.

Mission and transparency lead to storytelling. When you know your mission and you are transparent about your work, it’s easy to invite others in through a good story. For those who were present at the lecture, it’s clear that Scott is a gifted storyteller. Right away he established his credibility by sharing his background: his mother’s illness, becoming a caretaker at an early age and being engaged in his church throughout his childhood. At the age of 18 he left this foundation to jump into the nightlife of New York City as a nightclub promoter. Eventually, however, he realized there had to be more to life, and he shared how this led him to experience the suffering of others around the world. Throughout his journey, he didn’t just tell us this story – he showed us with hundreds of images. And for all of us present in the room, we were captivated – eager to come along on the journey with him.

Beyond his own story, Scott told the story of hundreds of people waiting in line to have doctors fix their facial tumors. Scott told the story of children drinking brown, viscous water. And, while telling these stories, he convinced us through facts, stories, and images why clean water matters. Clean water can change everything – access to education, income and health, especially for women and children.

Why do millions of people give to charity:water every year? Because they have a compelling brand and captivating story. It’s easy to get involved and it’s a story people want to be a part of – a community of sorts.

Scott Harrison isn’t the only person who has a good story. Of course, he is a master storyteller - crafting a narrative that is compelling to a wide range of audiences. And our Lake lecture was not the first time he has shared his story. It’s easy to listen to someone like Scott Harrison and think "it’s not possible for me to do that." Thankfully, none of us has to be Scott Harrison – he’s the only one who can tell that story. Similarly, you are the only one who can tell your story. Each one of us has a compelling story for the work that we do and the ability to share it with others.

Although Scott’s time with us at the Lake Lecture was specific about his work with charity:water, he gave us much to think about regarding our own work here in Central Indiana and beyond. If you were not present with us, you can listen to the Lake lecture here. Or you might want to listen again or share with a friend or colleague. It’s clear that Scott’s work engages individuals – particularly a younger generation – in a way that many of our organizations and congregations have yet to tap into. We do not have to be beholden to charity: water’s model or have Scott Harrison’s dramatic story to make a difference in the world. Scott Harrison constantly reminded us of that point. The fascinating aspect of faith, giving, and philanthropy is that the contexts, institutions, and practices are always changing even as the foundational principles often remain the same. Reinventing charity might actually look like refocusing on what we already know are core principles of the work that we are called to do: focusing on clarity of mission, transparency, community, and telling our story. How can we take this challenge into our own work?

Thank you!

We were overwhelmed by the response to this year's Lake Lecture with Scott Harrison. Thank you for attending, inviting your friends, and engaging Scott with great questions and insights. If you weren't able to join us, we have a link to the video available!